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Calgary

Judge who found violent group sex was consensual to make sentencing decision Tuesday

A sentencing hearing took place Friday for one of the Calgary men who participated in a group sexual assault on a teenage girl. A decision is expected Tuesday.

Adham El-Sakaan, 21, was convicted of sexual assault with a weapon but acquitted of sexual assault

Timothy Fanning, left, and Adham El-Sakaan were accused of gang raping a teenager two years ago. Their acquittals on charges of sexual assault have been appealed. El-Sakaan was convicted of sexual assault with a weapon. (Facebook)

A sentencing decision will come early next weekfor one of the Calgary men who participated in a violent sexual assault on a teenage girl.

Adham El-Sakaan, 21, was convicted of sexual assault with a weaponfor inserting an electric toothbrush into the victim without her consent.

However, in April, El-Sakaan and co-accusedTimothy Fanning were found not guilty on another count, of sexual assault, after the judgebelieved the testimony of the two accused that the victim wanted rough sex.

The Crown has appealed the acquittals on the sexual assault charges for both El-Sakaan and Fanning.

In its notice of appeal, the Crown says Court of Queen's Bench Justice Scott Brooker erred in his analysis of consent.

In Friday's sentencing hearing, Crown prosecutorPam McCluskeyasked for a five- to six-year sentence forEl-Sakaan.

El-Sakaan's defence attorney, Joan Blumer,countered with a suggested two-year sentence. The judge is scheduled to make his decision on Tuesday.

A third person who was underage at the time of the attackadmitted to raping the Grade 11 victim. He pleaded guilty to sexual assault in 2017.He cannot be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

The victim's identity is also protected by a publication ban. CBC News is calling her Sara.

A video was taken showing the teenage boys punching and slapping Sarawhile calling her a "slut" and a "bitch" and telling her to "shut the f--k up" while taking turns with her sexually.

They also laugh and egg each other on.

Sara can be heard on the video whimperingand cryingas the boys took turns with her.

Judge Richard O'Gorman, who presided over the case of the youth who pleaded guilty, saidafter watching the videothat it depicted "the most appalling acts of human depravity I have had the displeasure to witness as a judge."

In his sentencing decision, O'Gorman wrote that "there is not one part of either video that shows any scintilla of consent."

During their trial, Fanning and El-Sakaan testified the sex was consensual, and that Sara had asked for it to be rough.

Brooker said he did not find the victim to be a credible witness because of "too many contradictions in her evidence."

Sara initially told authorities that she was forced to give oral sex to Fanning later in the night butchanged her story and admitted she'd consented.

The judge also took issue with text messages Sara deleted from herphone.Earlier in the night, before any of the sexual activity, Sara had texted a friend saying she was considering having sex with the three teens.